Notation
Note: The tunes below are recorded in what
is called “abc notation.” They
can easily be converted to standard musical notation via highlighting with
your cursor starting at “X:1” through to the end of the abc’s, then
“cutting-and-pasting” the highlighted notation into one of the many abc
conversion programs available, or at concertina.net’s incredibly handy “ABC
Convert-A-Matic” at

**Please note that the abc’s in the Fiddler’s
Companion work fine in most abc conversion programs. For example, I use
abc2win and abcNavigator 2 with no problems whatsoever with direct
cut-and-pasting. However, due to an anomaly of the html, pasting the abc’s
into the concertina.net converter results in double-spacing. For
concertina.net’s conversion program to work you must remove the spaces
between all the lines of abc notation after pasting, so that they are
single-spaced, with no intervening blank lines. This being done, the F/C
abc’s will convert to standard notation nicely. Or, get a copy of
abcNavigator 2 – its well worth it.[AK]

JEROME'S FAREWELL TO GIBRALTAR. AKA - “Jerome’s Farewell to Georges
Banks.” Canadian, Reel. Canada,
Prince Edward Island. D Major.
Standard tuning. AABB (Messer): AABB’ (Perlman). Ken Perlman (1996) states this
is a “good old tune” on PEI,
especially in the eastern part of the island and is played in a medley with “Homeward Bound.” It was popularised
by Canadian radio and TV fiddler Don Messer. An Irish variant is “Boys of the Lough.” Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes),
1980; No. 79, pg. 54. Perlman (The Fiddle
Music of Prince Edward Island),
1996; pg. 68. Rounder CD7014, Leonard McDonald –
“Fiddlers of Western Prince Edward Island” (1997).

JERRY HOULIHAN (Dearmuid Ua Uallacain). AKA and see “Cummilum.” Irish, Slip Jig. D Major. Standard
tuning. AABBCCDDEE (O'Neill/Krassen): AABBCCDDEEFF (O'Neill/1850). Breathnach
(1996) states that, along with “Mad Moll,” “Drops of brandy [1],” "Yellow stockings” and others it belongs
to a cycle of tunes originating in the 17th century or earlier. This
is a very large tune family, for more on which see also notes for Walker
‘Piper’ Jackson’s “Cummilum” and
“Mad Moll.” O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 86. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850
Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 1166, pg. 220. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland:
1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 440,
pg. 86.

X:1

T:Jerry Houlihan

M:9/8

L:1/8

R:Slip Jig

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland:
1001 Gems (1907), No. 440

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A2d FDF FDF|A2d FDF G2E|A2d FDF
FDF|BAB E2F G2E:|

|:D2d AGF AGF|D2d AGF G2E|D2d AGF
AGF|BAB E2F G2E:|

|:d2d fed ecA|d2g fdf g2e|dfe fdB
AGF|BAB E2F G2E:|

|:d2f agf agf|d2f agf g2e|d2f agf
agf|bgf/g/ e2f g2e:|

|:dfe/c/ dAF dAF|df e/c/ dAF
GFE|dfe/c/ dAF dAF|BAB E2F GFE:|

|:DFF dFF AFF|DFF dFF GFE|DFF dFF AFF|BAB
E2F GFE:|

JERRY
LYNCH’S. AKA and see “Kilfenora
Jig [4].” Irish, Slide (12/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Jerry
Lynch is one of the founders of the (new) Kilfenora Ceili band and father of Boston
area box player Tara Lynch.

JERSEY
LIGHTNING. American, Dance Tune (2/4 time). A
Minor. Standard tuning. AABB. Labelled a 'jig' in Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, referring not to the familiar 6/8 Irish jig,
but rather to a type of syncopated old-time banjo tune often known as a
“straight” or “sand” jig (as it was performed on a sanded stage). The title may
refer to a dance step, although New York researcher, musician, writer and
collector Don Meade believes it may refer to moonshine. In fact, since Colonial
times ‘Jersey Lightning’ referred to applejack (hard cider). Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 80. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg.
113. Great Meadow CD 2007, Mary Cay Brass and Friends
– “GreenMountain.”

JERUSALEM RIDGE. Bluegrass, Breakdown. USA. A Aeolian (Am). Standard tuning. AABB'CC.
Composed by bluegrass mandolinist Bill Monroe (Ky). Jerusalem Ridge is an area
in the hills around Monroe’s birthplace near Rosine, Kentucky.His Uncle Pen, a mentor, used to play his
fiddle late into the evening up on Jerusalem Ridge. The tune has similarities
to “Glory in the Meeting
House,” an old fiddle tune collected from several eastern Kentucky
sources, which may be a model or precursor. It is possible it influenced Monroe
and/or Baker. Baker, however, was careful to give credit to Monroe for the
composition. According to him, the band was staying in a motel in Kentucky back
in the early to mid 1970s, when Monroe invited Baker to come to his room to
work on a tune that Monroe was trying to fashion. The mandolinist would play a
section and then would ask the fiddler to play it back, and then modify it.
This process took some time, but in the end “Jerusalem Ridge” emerged. Source
for notated version: Kenny Baker [Brody]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 147. Acoustic
Disk Records, David Grisman, John Hartford & Mike Seegar – “Retrograss.”
County 761 & County CO-2708-CD, Kenny Baker‑ "Kenny Baker Plays
Bill Monroe." Green Linnet Kevin Burke – “Up Close” (1984). Ridge Runner
RRR0018, Bob Black – “Ladies on the Steamboat” (1979). Sugar Hill Records, Tony
Rice – “Church Street
Blues.”

JESSE THE FLOWER OF DUNBLANE.Scottish, Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard
tuning. AB. O’Neill (1922) says: “Early in the nineteenth centtury, this song
was composed by a modest weaver, Robert Tannahill of Paisley, and was set to an
alleged ancient Scottish melody by Robert A. Smith author of the Irish Minstrel, and the Scottish Minstrel. According to Farquhar
Graham, editor of Woods Songs of Scotland,
not a few of the airs in the latter work were composed by Smith himself.
Whatever the origin of the above melody may have been it has a decidedly Gaelic
tonality.” Source for notated version: copied from Wood’s Songs of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1848) [O’Neill]. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody),
1922.

JESSIE POLKA. New England, Polka. G Major ('A' part) & D Major ('B' part) {Miller
& Perron}: G Major ('A', 'C' and 'D' parts), C Major ('B' part) & D
Major ('E' part). Standard. ABB (Miller & Perron): AA'BB'CCDEE (Phillips).
A Texas tune called the “Jesse Polka” had an interesting history. It originally
derived from a Mexican tune called “Jesusita
en Chihuahua,” which became known as the “J.C. Polka” and thence to “Jesse
Polka.” “Jesusita en Chihuahua” is a song that has its origins in the Mexican
Revolution of 1912. The words tell the story of a soldadera, the name
given to women campfollowers who tended to the daily needs of the revolutionary
fighters, and even in desperate situations took up arms themselves to fight
alongside the men. “Jessie Polka’s” popularity stemmed from its being played
from 1938 on by Cliff Bruner and the Texas Wanderers, a Texas Swing band that,
although they did not tour much outside of Texas, was nevertheless an
influential regional band.Apparently, Bruner
learned the melody as a child from Mexican farm workers in the Beaumont area of
Texas (Bruner died in Houston in the year 2000 at age 85). Miller & Perron (101 Polkas), 1978; No. 76. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Music), Vol. 2, 1995; pgs. 352-353. Riders in the Sky – “A Pair of Kings.” Randy Elmore – “The
Boys in the Band.”

JESUCITA/JESUSITA EN CHIHUAHUA. AKA and see “Jesse
Polka.” Tex‑Mex, Polka. Texas, New Mexico, Mexico. A Mexican anthem,
originally composed in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution in 1912.
‘Jesusita’ is the female personification of Jesus, while Chihuahua
is a state in Mexico;
the title refers, however, to female supporters of the revolutionary soldiers,
who not only provided for their needs, but took up arms to fight alongside
their men when the occasion demanded. It is a melody played today by school
mariachi bands (around Tuscon, for example). The alternate title, “Jesse
Polka,” may be related to the fact that Jesus was the seed of Jesse. According
to Ned Kartchner Lawrence Welk played the song and called it the “Cactus
Polka.” The tune features plucked (pizzicato) parts. It is used sometimes,
according to Yankee Ingenuity, for the dance "The Jesse Polka." Varrick VR‑302, Yankee Ingenuity ‑ "Heatin'
Up the Hall" (1989).

JET BLACK HAIRED YOUTH, THE (An gille dubh ciar-dhubh). Scottish, Slow Air (3/4 time, 'A',
'B', and 'D' parts; 2/4 time, 'C' part). D Major. Standard tuning. ABCD.
"Of this air the editor has heard many imperfect sets; it is given in this
work as sung by the gentlemen alluded to in the prospectus. The Gaelic words
are well known, which renders the matter attainable" (Fraser)./ Although
Fraser's stated aim was to contribute to a "restoration of simplicity of
taste" to Scottish tunes, his "sets did not look simple to the
antiquary Stenhouse, who criticized several of Fraser's versions in
'Illustrations of the Lyric Poetry and Music of Scotland:

***

In Captain Fraser's Gaelic Airs, lately published, a set of this

tune [An Gilleadh dubh] appears in two strains leaded with

trills, crescendos, diminuendos, cadences (i.e. cadenzas) ad

libitum, and other modern Italian graces. This gentleman

professes, however, to give the airs in their ancient and native

purity, but ex uno disce omnes! (Alburger, 1983).

***

Fraser (The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and the
Isles), 1874; No. 70, pg. 25.

JEW JIG, THE. AKA and see “Sackows,”
“Syriacus,” "Tripping Upstairs
[2]." Irish, Jig. According to David Taylor (1992) the Irish‑American
fiddler John McGrath (1900‑1955) is the composer of this tune, under the
above title. See note for “Tripping Upstairs [2].”